The present invention relates to the improvement in a connector terminal checking tool for checking terminals in a connector for use in connection of wire harnesses or electrical instruments in an automobile or the like.
In such a connector, female or male terminals are received in terminal receiving chambers defined in a connector housing of the connector, and these terminals are locked in so-called a terminal lance or case lance manner so as to prevent the terminals from being drawn off from the terminal receiving chambers. The female or male connector is fitted with another male or female connector to thereby obtain electrical connection between the female and male terminals in both the connectors. In using the connector, it is never permitted that the terminals will be drawn off by a tensile force or the like to be applied to electrical wires connected to the terminals, and that the electrical connection between the mating female and male terminals will become imperfect.
Under the circumstances, there has been proposed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-8221 a connector terminal checking tool capable of checking the mechanical and electrical engaged conditions of the terminals fixedly received in a multipolar connector.
Further, there has been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication Nos. 58-162579 and 58-162580, for example, a technique for more reliably preventing the terminals from being drawn off from the viewpoint of recent demand of increased safety in an automobile. This technique includes a lock cover and a connector holder having a stopper (which will be hereinafter referred to as a terminal locking spacer) mounted on a side surface or a back surface of the connector housing, so that the locking of the terminals may be further ensured solely by the spacer or in combination with the terminal lance or case lance locking method as mentioned above.
However, as the terminal locking spacer is smaller than the connector housing, there is a possibility that incomplete mounting or locking of the spacer will not be checked in assembling the connector.